Some Alabama lawmakers may be striking back at Rick Bragg; Cullman child struck riding bike backwards; more news

Some conservative Alabama lawmakers may be cutting the budget of a University of Alabama law school institute to strike back at author Rick Bragg who has been teaching at the school. Other lawmakers told the Gadsden Time that a speech he made in December at an institute event angered conservatives. (News Staff/Bernard Troncale)

Could a speech by Alabama writer Rick Bragg be the reason lawmakers
are cutting the University of Alabama's Alabama Law Institute budget?
The House is considering severely cutting the institute budget. The
institute uses volunteer workers works to simply state laws and conducts
an orientation for lawmakers. Bragg spoke at the last orientation,
telling lawmakers not to forget the state's working poor. Several
lawmakers say some conservative legislators were alienated by the speech
and are striking back, according to The Gadsden Times.

Cullman youngster injured in car-bicycle accident: A 12-year-old boy was flown to Birmingham's Children's Hospital Monday after the accident. The car's driver told police the youngster was riding his bicycle backwards when the accident took place, according to the Cullman Times.

North Alabama man struck, killed crossing road: James J. Montgomery, 23, was killed when he was hit by truck while crossing a rural road near Florence on Monday. Montgomery was the area's second traffic fatality within 24-hours, the Florence Times Daily reported.

Smiths Station High School senior dies from accident injuries: Natalie Elizabeth Windham was injured Sunday night when a lane change by another vehicle apparently caused her to lose control of her vehicle on U.S. 80, police said. Windham was taken to a Columbus, Georgia, hospital with severe head injuries. She was prounounced dead Monday, according the Opelika-Auburn News.